Desk pad structure



Nov. 14, 1950 A. COHN DESK PAD STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19,1946 Nov. 14, 1950 A. COHN 2,530,115

DESK PAD STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov.14, 1950 DESK PAD STRUCTURE Arthur Cohn, New York, N. Y. ApplicationAugust 19, 1946,, Serial No. 691,563

This invention relates to improvements in desk pad structures.

In its broadest aspect the present invention aims at the combination ofseveral desk items (telephone register, appointment book, calendar, i

memorandum pad, and other accessories) with a desk pad, which items areso coordinated to the latter that convenient and easy conduct of ofiicebusiness will be facilitated and manipulation of at least some of saiditems needed at one end the-same time may be had by one hand only of aperson.

It is knownthat many inconveniences result "from the fact that such deskitems are often scattered over oifice desks. Sometimes, one hand of i aperson is holding the telephone receiver while the other hand of saidperson must reach for notes or other papers, which mostly do not lie attheir usual locations on the desk.

As a further disadvantage may be considered that telephone index devicesand similar usually small desk articles or accessories now in use, arelikely to be removed from, misplaced or arranged on the desk so that itis difficult to grasp those .small articles, when needed, to keep thesame all the time in their proper place on the desk, to allowmanipulation of the pages of an item, such :as a book, a loose leafindex or the jotting down of telephone numbersappointments, etc.

The present invention eliminates these and other disadvantages andproposes a desk .pad which is constructed in a new and clearly arrangedmanner.

It is therefore one of the'objects of this invention to provide meansaffording easy and quick operation of the desk pad made in accordancewith this invention, permitting production thereof at relatively lowcost and contributing to maintaining the desk pad in orderly conditionand aesthetic appearance.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means renderingpossible easy interchangeability of the items used in connection withthe new desk pad.

Still another 'objectof the present invention is toprovide meansallowing the operation and use of the desk pad in the usual manner,although improving the same to such a degree that its usefulness will beconsiderably enhanced bymaking available for ready employmentall theitems or "accessories ordinarily considered desirable inconnection withan office desk.

' Yet, a further object of the invention is t o provide means assuringsimple:and-dnrable construction of the desk'padcwhose capacity to .hold'papers, memoranda and other stationery items is increased withoutproducing unsightly and bu'lky structures and substantially maintainingneat and well arranged disposition of the usually need,-

ed items, which may be'hidden from view at any time, if desired.

These and other objects and advantage will become more clear fromtheensuing specification and drawings, in which:

Fig. '1 is a top plan view of the desk pad made in accordance with thisinvention and shown in open condition;

Fig. 2 is -a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 ofFigl; g

' Fig. tie a cross-sectional View on an enlarged scaletakenalong line3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the deskipadshown in Fig. 1 in closedcondition;

Fig. 5 isaperspectiveview of one of the accessories .used in connectionwith the desk pad;

Fig. 6jis a'perspective view of another of the accessories employed in"the desk pad of this invention. 1

Referring now more particularly to the .attached drawings, there isdisclosed in Figsjl and 4 a desk pad I0 in open and closed condition,respectively. Desk pad Ill has a flat backing or support II preferablymade of cardboard, paste boardor similar massgwhichmay be lined withasoft textile material '(not shown) as it is conventional.

Desk pad II] has a median .portion I2 and end portions I4 and I5, saidmedian portion carrying on its upper face blotter means I3. End portionsI4 and I5, respectively, consist of fixed frame sections I6, I8 and flapsections 1 I, I9, which are hinged at 20, 2| so that sections 1 1 and I9may be swung into superposed position .and juxtapositionwith respect tofixed sections I6, I8.

Fixed sections 16, I8 are provided with upper loopsZZ, 23 and with lowerloops 24, 25 and further with pockets 26, 21. The aforesaid loops andpockets 22 to 21 are either directly mounted on support II orrespectively bymeans of an intermediate base 28 adhesively fixed orglued on the top surface of support II.

As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 3, base 28 of each of the fixed sectionsI6, I8 provides opposed pockets 3!), -3I with respect to support H forthe-insertion of the lateral ends of the blotter efiect one end of eachleather hinge 20a, am is fixed on support I I (either by adhesives orstitching), whereas the opposite ends 201), Mb of said leather hingesextend over the outer surface of the respective flap sections l1, l9 andform the outermost leather binding or cover therefor, so that when flapsll, I9 are respectively swung into closed positions of the desk pad H],the leather binding or layer Ila, l9a come to lie on top of end portionsI4 and I5.

Swingable flap sections 1'! and I9 are also provided with upper loops32, 33 and lower loops 34, 35 and with suitable pockets 36, 31. As canbe seen from Fig. 1, opposed loops 22, 32 and 23, 33, as well as 24, 34and 25, 35 may be located in alignment with each other, respectively,and are preferably employed for the insertion of bookor folderlikeunits, such as telephone register or index devices 36, 31, and ringbookdevice 38.

As can be seen from Fig. 5, the folderlike telephone register device 31consists of carrier sheet 39 terminating into outwardly extendingreduced portions 40, 4| and of pages 42, 43 connected with said carriersheet 39. As can be realized from Fig. 5, page 42 is hinged at 44 topage 43 of the telephone register device.

. The pages 42 and 43 are co-extensive with each other, while theoutwardly extending portions 40 and M are so shaped (preferably tapered)as to facilitate insertion of the device 31 within up per and lower endloops 22 and 24. It is well .understood that the structure of thetelephone register device 36 is similar to that of the just describedregister'device 31 and is inserted by means of its extensions 50, withinupper and lower loops 32, 34.

Ringbook device 38 consists of the two carriers or. supports 52, 53having the upper extensions 52a, 53a and the lower extensions 52b, 5311,respectively. Carriers 52 and 53 are hingedly connected with each otherby means of a spiral wire element 54 threaded through perforations (notshown) of the carriers 52 and 53.

Element 54 threadedly engages the sheets 55 of a memorandum pad 56, sothat the sheets may be moved in a ring binder fashion about the element54.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, device 38 may be removably connected to thedesk pad by inserting extension portions 53a and 53b, respectively,intoupper and lower loops 33 and 35 and by further inserting theextension portions 52a and 521) into upper and lower loops 23 and 25said upper loops 23, 33 and lower loops 25, 35 being respectivelydisposed adjacent the upper and lower ends of said fixed section [8 andsaid flap section l9.

It wi l be observed, that extensions 52a and 52b are shorter in widththan the loops 23 and 25, and that they are al o shorter in width thanthe extensions 53a and 53b. This structure is necessitated in order tobring about actuation (opening and closing) of the ringbook device 38,while the swingable flap section 19 is moved relatively to the fixedsection I8.

Thus a sliding movement of the extensions 52a and 52b lengthwise of therespective loops 23 and 25 will be had, so that in closed position,indicated by dot-dash lines in Fig. 3 of the swingable flap E9, thepages 55 of the structure 38 will assume a position within the boundaryof the closed end portion l5, as may be also realized from Fi 4. V

As indicated in Fig. 1, pockets 26 and 2? may 7 be used for receivingloose notes, business cards, and the like. Pocket 31, in this instance,is employed to hold a paper pad 51, whereas pocket 35 is provided with awindow 58 to expose to view a calendar 59.

As may be seen from the above explanations, the outside appearance ofthe desk pad made in accordance with this invention is substantially thesame as that of the conventional desk pads. However, the commonly knownend portions on the opposite sides of the pad, which generally areemployed to retain the sheet of blotting paper, have been advantageouslyimproved by means of a new construction which permits the new desk padto be provided with means for carrying and making accessible manydesirable desk accessories, which may be hidden from view in closedposition of the new desk pad. The result achieved by this invention isthat the aesthetic appearance of the desk pad is maintained and that thesame neither becomes bulky nor unsightly.

When the end portions of the desk pad are employed to carry a telephoneregister, the latter is preferably composed of several independentfolders (Fig. 5), on which blank spaces and/or lines for telephonenumbers, addresses etc. may be provided according to the needs of theuser.

Register devices 36 and 3'! are constructed so that they may be moved inopposite directions when flap section I! assumes a superposed positionrelatively to fixed section H5 in closed condition of end portion 4. Theaforesaid register devices may be easily folded and moved withoutinterference with each other, If desired, these register devices 36 and3! may be reinforced by cardboard or other stiffening means whichfacilitate convenient handling and ready replacement of the folders andreduces further the wear thereof to a high degree.

The above mentioned ring-binder device 38 is held at its upper and lowerends in a similar manner as the aforesaid register devices 36, 31.

If the device 38 is to be used as an appointment book, in which case itwill have necessarily more than 52 pages, the same must be opened andclosed without any inconvenience when movements of the flap section .19occur. Such book must also be retained in position within fixed sectionl8 and movable flap section I5.

Relatively stiff material for the carriers 52, 53 (pressboard, heavyacetate sheets, etc.) assure suitable support for such appointment bookand simultaneously an appropriate connection between parts l8, 19 of theend portion 15, so that the swinga'ble flap section l9 will be kept tautand straight without causing any warping o distortion for said flapsection or fixed section.

On account of the particular construction the cover or carriers of saidring-binder book are prevented from being shifted from their positionsand hold the book in proper place, so that when th flap is opened, thebook presents itself in open condition, while its pages can be turnedover very easily and facilitate writing thereon.

The desk pad is so constructed that its parts, which are to be carriedby it, are interchangeable and can be easily replaced and attached atthe right or left flap section and vice versa, following the individualhabits of the user.

As a particular advantage of the new desk pad is to be mentioned thefact that it assumes in open condition a substantially flat unit (Fig.2) which extends throughout its whole length over a table or desksurface and which is devoid of any overhanging parts which wouldotherwise lead to deformation, warping and unsightliness of the saidpad.

It can thus be seen, that there has been achieved in accordance withthis invention a desk pad structure which consists of a substantiallyfiat support having two lateral end portions and an intermediate ormedian portion for carrying the blotter in sheet formation, said lateralend portions being each provided with a fixed section and a flapsection, ends of said fixed sections facing each other forming lips onsaid median portion and being engageable with said blotter sheet toretain the same in position on said median portion, hinge meansconnecting each flap section with a respective fixed section, wherebysaid flap sections may be swung to juxtaposition and superposed positionrelatively to said fixed sections, respectively, said hinge means beingmade of leather material, said material extending from below said fixedsections to the surface of said flap sections, respectively, and forminga top cover for said flap sections, whereby said hinge means injuxtaposition of said fixed sections with said fla sections extendsubstantially in alignment with and at the level of said fiat support,and loop means for retaining fiat articles dis-posed at said fixedsections and at said fiap sections, respectively, said retaining meansbeing hidden from view in superposed position of said fiap sections withsaid fixed sections.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamentalnovel features of the invention as applied to the above embodiment, itwill be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes inthe form and details of the desk pad illustrated and its operation maybe made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed asinew and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, having a lateral end with afixed section and a fiap section, means hingedly connecting said flapsection to said fixed section, whereby said fiap section may be swunginto superposed position and in juxtaposition to said fixed section; anupper loop and a lower loop arranged on each of said fixed section andof said flap section, carrier means supporting paper sheets, eachcarrier means being provided with a pair of extensions projecting beyondsaid paper sheets, upper extension and lower extensions, respectively,said upper extension being, respectively, engageable with said upperloops, said lower extensions being, respectively, engageable with saidlower loops,

whereby said carrie means may be removably and interchangeably disposedon said flap section and. on said fixed section, and means swingablyconnecting said paper sheets to one another and to said carrier means,one pair of said extensions of said carrier means being smaller in widththan the width of each of said upper and lower loops, whereby said onecarrier means may slide within their respective loops relatively to rthe other pair of said extensions, said other pair of extensions beingengaged by said upper and lower loops of said flap section and beingmovable with the latter to open and closed position of said carriermeans, respectively, when said flap section is moved to saidjuxtaposition and said superposed position, respectively.

2. In a device of the character described having a fixed section and aflap section, hinge I means connecting said flap section with said fixedsection, whereby said flap section may be swung to juxtaposition andsuperposed position relatively to said fixed section, respectively, abook structure having cover means, extensions on said cover means,leaves connected through a spiral wire element with said cover means,and means for engaging said extensions of said cover means andrespectively disposed at said fixed section and at said flap section,said extensions being smaller in width than said engaging means, wherebysaid cover means of said book structure are slidably coupled with saidsections and will follow the movement of said flap section to saidjuxtaposition and superposed position, respectively.

ARTHUR COHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 282,702 Caldwell Aug. 7, 1883329,348 Whitney Oct. 27, 1885 708,525 Buskirk Sept. 9, 1902 962,798Swarin June 28, 1910 990,211 Richardson Apr. 18, 1911 1,089,557Henderson Mar. 10, 1914 1,278,185 Malsch Sept. 10, 1918 1,331,995McMullen Feb. 24, 1920 1,528,400 Busch Mar. 3, 1925 1,709,450 White Apr.16, 1929 1,750,022 Pick Mar. 11, 1930 1,856,160 Gutberlet May 3, 19322,276,463 Buxton Mar. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date272,105 Great Britain June 9, 1927

